Puzzle toy



PUZZLE TOY Delbert C. Pope, Abilene, Tex.

Application October 22, 1957, Serial No. 691,769

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-157) The present invention generally relates to an entertainment device and more particularly to a puzzle toy incorporating the features of a jig-saw puzzle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a puzzle toy which may be in the form of an upright member or which may be in the form of a known object such as a house or the like in which the individual pieces of the puzzle are interlocked and provided with juncture lines* intermatching with other puzzle pieces.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a building block which may be interlocked with other similar building blocks and which has peculiarly shaped edges for engagement with other building blocks thus providing a puzzle toy in which the individual pieces will be interlocked when assembled.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a puzzle toy which is simple in construction, easy to use, entertaining, well adapted for its intended purposes and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the completed puzzle toy of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded group perspective view illustrating the manner in which the puzzle pieces interiit;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 3 3 of Figure 1 illustrating the interlocking connection between adjacent rows of puzzle pieces;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4--4 of Figure 1 illustrating the juncture relationship between the puzzle pieces in each row; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a bottom member which may be all one piece.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the puzzle toy of the present invention. The puzzle toy includes a base piece 12 which may be divided into tive areas designated Vby the numerals 14, 16, 18, and 22. Each area is provided with an upper surface 24 which is horizontal from front to rear but which is transversely curved or undulated. Also, the areas 14, 18 and 22 which project above the areas 16 and 20 are provided with interlocking means. The area 14 is provided with a dovetail groove 26 on the inner face thereof while the area 22 is provided with a dovetail projecting 28 on the inner face thereof and the area 18 is provided with both a groove 30 and a projection 32. The areas 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 may be designated by printed indicia, color combinations or the like for ted A States Patent() Y,

distinguishing these areas and for distinguishing grvvs" of puzzle pieces designated by the'numeral 34.l Each puzzle piece is generally in the form of a cube which may have one or two end edges curved as indicated byr 42. Each puzzle piece 34 over the area 22 has a dove-Y tail projection 44 while each of the puzzle pieces over the areas 16, 18 and 20 has both a projection 44 and a dovetail groove 42 thus interlocking the rows of puzzle pieces. The lines of separation between the puzzle pieces in the adjacent rows are vertically staggered thus necessitating proper interrelationship between the puzzle pieces and proper positioning of the puzzle pieces for defining a predetermined shape such as the square or rectangular shape illustrated in Figure 1.

The puzzle pieces may be yconstructed of any suitable rigid material such' as wood or the like and may be decoratively colored in any manner whatsoever for providing a picture or a simulated object which will assist a child in placing the puzzle pieces in the proper orientation. Thus, the device may be used for teaching and associating various words and objects and also developing certain skills in the persons using the device. The puzzle toy 10 shown in Figure 1 may be incorporated in a house, building, picture, or in any other form desired.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of thevinvention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and de scribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A puzzle toy comprising an elongated rigid base piece of unitary construction having substantial thickness and provided with a flat lower surface for self-sustaining engagement with a supporting surface, said base piece including a plurality of areas each having a horizontal upper surface from front to rear and curved from side to side with adjacent upper surfaces being disposed at relatively low and high levels and with alternate -upper surfaces of the areas being in alignment, and a plurality of puzzle pieces superimposed on each area in vertical rows, the adjacent puzzle pieces in each row having a horizontal plane of juncture from front to rear and curved from side to side, the planes of juncture in adjacent rows being staggered and the planes of juncture in alternate rows being in alignment, the puzzle pieces in the vertical rows superimposed on the outermost areas of the base piece having a at outer side surface, the uppermost puzzle piece in each row having a at upper surface with the uppermost puzzle pieces in the rows superimposed on the relatively low level areas of said base piece having a vertical dimension equal to theV difference in elevation between the low and high levels of the adjacent areas in the base piece with all of the other puzzle pieces having an identical vertical dimension whereby the upper surfaces of the uppermost puzzle pieces are in alignment, and means interlocking the rows 2,923,551 j r tegfed Feb-:2.15591 o'puz'zlef-pieees. `tl11i'eugl`1eutL tlxe vertical lleigqlt tliereof.y n Refexencesute'dwin tliele fthi'fltent `ZV'Phe" structure` as=denedinclaim 1V wherein said v l means includes a vertically extending dovetail groove in UNITED STATES PATENTS one side surface of each puzzle piece in one row of puzzle 294,589 Crandall Mar. `4, pieces, and a vertically extending dovetail projection on 5 1,531,542 Cogshall Mar. 31, the side surface of each puzlz'le piece in an adjacent row 1,976,664 Gantt Oct. 9, 0.1;, puzzle; pieces; `thereby Lertcallx Slidably.iuterllsin 1,997,501 Sweney Apr. 8. @gyn-tical rp.ws`,.Qfannalenieces.,`y l t* I 2,472,363 Blackington June 7, 

